STEM educators often teach in traditional settings without exposure to innovative teaching methods. Traveling nationally or internationally can offer valuable insights into how other STEM educators use local experiences to teach. This session covers topics such as applying for national and international STEM professional development programs, benefits for educators and students, and strategies to broaden global perspectives through PBL. Participants will also learn how to apply for grants to fund classroom activities and potentially send students on the same experiences. The session provides practical examples and insights to empower participants to take action and apply their newfound knowledge in their communities. By attending, educators can enhance their teaching skills and create long-lasting lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Enhance teaching skills and knowledge in STEM subjects for better student learning outcomes with effective strategies and resources. Attend this session to discover the benefits of national and international educator study tours for professional development.

SPEAKERS:
Oktay Ince (Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School: Columbus, OH)

Food is a basic necessity of life, yet in the United States there are over 6,500 food deserts affecting 19 million people. Food deserts are geographic areas that lack access to affordable, healthy food options. During this session, participants will engage in conversations for how to address this inequity with students as they engineer food producing hydroponic systems. The Hydroponics storyline is the third in a series being developed by a group of 25+ educators from the midwest for science and agriculture teachers that engage students in developing explanations for agricultural phenomena and solving real-world problems. Students utilize the three dimensions of NGSS in each of the storylines as they learn about food systems, or the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food products and interactions with the natural environment. Specific emphasis is placed on developing skills related to the Scientific & Engineering Practices and building Crosscutting Concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about a new storyline on hydroponics that explores food deserts which are geographic areas that lack access to affordable, healthy food options. Attendees will discuss one option for addressing this inequity with students as they engineer food-producing hydroponic systems.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Embry Mohr (Olympia High School: Stanford, IL)

STEM SAIL Ohio project team members will share how this grant-funded work is supporting science education in Ohio through focused regional partnerships. The discussion will include topics like: The Appalachian STEM Collaborative, a STEM Ecosystem that serves some of Ohio’s neediest students and has demonstrated exceptional growth in the wake of COVID-19. The DreamSTEM Educator Summer Externship Program, where teachers participate in business and industry activities and learn how those roles connect with their own content area. “STEM Stories” of teachers like Mark, a computer science teacher at an Ohio high school whose Game Design students are developing job training simulations for a local factory. Participants will see the immense value of cross-sector collaboration to advance classroom and workforce connections in STEM fields. They will be inspired to seek professional and industry connections to strengthen the classroom-workforce pipeline in their own schools and communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the STEM SAIL Ohio project from the perspective of program designers, STEM ecosystem partners, and Ohio educators. They will hear examples of activities designed to support teachers and student success, and will be encouraged to connect with their nearest STEM ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Sadie Norwick (TIES: No City, No State), Christa Krohn (Director of Learning Systems: , OH)

For Teachers, By Teachers -- A group of 25+ educators from the Midwest are currently developing a series of storyline units for science and agriculture teachers that engage students in developing explanations for agricultural phenomena and solving real-world problems. Students utilize the three dimensions of NGSS in each of the storylines as they learn about food systems, or the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food products and interactions with the natural environment. During this session, participants will learn about storyline #2 which challenges students to figure out how different soils affect the kinds and quantities of food commodities that can be produced. Topics include: what is soil, effects of soil on plant growth, movement of matter and energy in soil, and how to decrease human impact on soils and biodiversity. Specific emphasis is placed on developing skills related to the Scientific & Engineering Practices and building Crosscutting Concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in activities that are part of a new storyline unit on how soil affects the types and quantities of food commodities grown. Topics include what is soil, the effect of soil on plant growth, movement of matter and energy through soils, and how to decrease human impact on soils.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Embry Mohr (Olympia High School: Stanford, IL)

Activity – Minerals needed to power an electric vehicle and where they are mined 1. Discussion on some of the critical minerals for the green economy & how/where they are mined and provide resources to teachers to assist them in presenting this information: • Jobs of Tomorrow Video Series (https://media.smenet.org) • Minerals Education Coalition website • Educational activities and MEC Mineral Baby (minerals needed in a lifetime) and MEC Minerals Needed Each Year graphics • USGS listing of where minerals are mined (USGS Commodities Summaries) 2. Discussion on the wide array of exciting work available in the minerals industry and related resources including: a. Minerals Education Coalition website free resources about careers, including handouts, activities, videos and PowerPoints, and b. MEC new career-themed activities and new publication of information about related careers. Careers to be discussed include: • Mining Engineer • Geological Engineer • Metallurgist • Geologist

TAKEAWAYS:
Innovation, artificial intelligence, and technology are all modern mining and minerals industry hallmarks. One of the safest and most lucrative engineering careers today; mining professionals solve problems from project management to meeting mineral demands.

SPEAKERS:
C Dale Elifrits (Northern Kentucky University: Highland Heights, KY)